Sunday, 1 January 2012

New Year in Helen's Tower

Our good friends (and relatives) Fiona and Phillip had the bright idea to rent the amazing Helen's Tower in Clandeboye Estate outside for Bangor for this New Years.

Husband Danny and our lot went to the Palookaville carry-out disco for New Years again this year and then today Dan, his sister Lucy and I drove out to see them today. The path up to it is a bit of an off-roading experience but it's worth the effort - check this place out!

Helen's Tower was completed in 1861 in honour of the owner Lord Dufferin's mother who was herself the grand daughter of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the great Irish playwright, orator and politician.

It was built as an idyllic retreat and poems were written in its honour by Tennyson, Kipling, Argyll and other luminaries of the nineteenth century literary world, and I can see why. Huddled far away from the seething masses with a roaring fire, it was a very special afternoon, accompanied by an impressive bottle of Champagne. Okay, Cava.

There were views from the roof of the tower over Bangor and the metropolitan Newtownards as well as to Scrabo Tower on a far away hillside. I hate those foreign landlords who came in and stole our land, but they sure did leave some nice buildings behind.

This place can be rented out through http://www.irishlandmark.com/ (I'm not getting paid for this) and would be an amazing venue for a wedding or handfasting.